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Tools For Conscious Awareness
Newsletter For
A Next Step...Light Center for Transformation and Healing
Vol. 98 -Addendum- November, 2008
In Truth, Simplicity, Love and Service
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FEATURES:
IT IS A NEW DAY!
BREATHING JOURNAL: MY REAL TRUE SELF
WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO BREATHE THROUGH YOUR NOSE
DO YOU HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE?
NEED HELP WITH HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE?
RED CLOVER BLOCKS NEUROLOGICAL DAMAGE FROM MSG
THAT’S A LOT OF BULL
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“TIME IS MEASURED FROM NOTHING BUT AN IMAGINARY CLOCK. YOU LIVE IN WHATEVER TIME YOU WANT.”
~ Jack from THE 4TH DIMENSION ~
“Furthermore, we have not even to risk the adventure alone, for the heroes of all time have gone before us. The labyrinth is thoroughly known. We have only to follow the thread of the hero path, and where we had thought to find abomination, we shall find a god. And where we had thought to slay another, we shall slay ourselves. Where we had thought to travel outward, we will come to the center of our own existence. And where we had thought to be alone, we will be with all the world.”
~ Joseph Campbell ~
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For the past few years, the Beings of Light in the Realms of Illumined Truth have been telling us that the 2008 Presidential elections in the United States of America would be the most important elections we have ever experienced. They said this was true because of the urgency of the hour, and because of the incredible things that will take place on Earth during the next few years. The Beings of Light revealed that there was a powerful Divine Plan unfolding in reference to these elections, and that the end result would reflect the will of the people and the birth of a New Day on Planet Earth.
These Messengers of God never interfere with Humanity’s free will, so they would not say who would be elected as President of the USA. They did, however, ask us to invoke our I AM Presence for guidance and to listen to our hearts. In an amazing outpouring of hope and trust, literally billions of people all over the world held the sacred space for the fulfillment of this Divine Plan and for the highest good for all concerned in these elections.
Now the decision has been made. Barack Obama is our new president-elect. His facet of this mission is monumental, and he is going to need the assistance of every one of us in order to victoriously accomplish the healing and the transformation that we are now in the midst of in this country and around the world.
The Truth is, fundamental change never begins at the top. It begins with people joining together in grass roots movements. But, with the support of people at the top, the changes will take place infinitely faster.
Throughout his campaign, Barack Obama stated that he will not be able to accomplish the goals the people want him to accomplish by himself. He said again and again that he will need the help of all of us in order to initiate the changes that will move this country forward in a positive direction. Together, we can truly make this a government of "We the people." What a novel concept.
The patterns of perfection for the New Earth have been securely anchored in the physical plane. We are now experiencing the rapid expansion of these patterns through every person, place, condition and thing. This process seems to be occurring at warp speed. The obsolete paradigms of greed, selfishness, corruption and the abuse of power are crumbling away. The people involved with these destructive patterns are fighting tooth and nail to hold on to their money and their power, but their efforts will be in vain. Anything that is not based in reverence for Life and the highest good for all concerned cannot and will not be sustained in the frequencies of the New Earth. It is just that simple.
The presidential elections in the USA have ushered in a New Day on Planet Earth. Regardless of who you voted for, it is now time for us all to come together. We have an unprecedented opportunity to make a positive difference that will add to the Light of the world. This is truly the initial impulse of Divine Government: a government OF the I AM Presence of Humanity, BY the I AM Presence of Humanity, FOR the I AM Presence of Humanity, a government dedicated to the Oneness of ALL Life and the manifestation of Heaven on Earth.
In order to fulfill your individual facet of this unfolding Divine Plan, go within to the deepest recesses of your heart and ask your I AM Presence how you can be the greatest force of Light, right here and right now. How can you personally add to the Light of the world? What can you do to bring more love, joy, abundance and peace into your own life and the lives of those who are in your sphere of influence? You will be amazed at the answers you receive. This is your moment. Now is the time. Remember and KNOW, this is your purpose and reason for being on Earth at this time.
You have been preparing for this mission for aeons, and everything you need to God Victoriously accomplish your goal is already within you. Trust yourself, and get busy.
Together we will cocreate a heart-centered world where people everywhere revel in the Oneness of all Life, and delight in our diversities. We will cocreate a world that understands and accepts that the infinite Abundance of God is Humanity’s Divine Birthright and that Eternal Peace, Love, Joy, Happiness and every other Divine Quality of our Father-Mother God are the order of the New Day on this blessed planet.
As you read the following words, allow them to resonate in your heart-of-hearts, and remember who you are:
THE TRUTH ABOUT ME
As I breathe in the Love of my Father-Mother God, I begin to realize the Truth about me. I came into this world with a very specific purpose. I came to fulfill a mission. I came to Love Life free and to realize the Truth about me. I came to contribute to the salvation of this sweet Earth.
I AM part of God, and the fullness of my Father-Mother God abides in me. In the Mind of God, no one is useless or meaningless. Every single person is valuable and critically important to the balance and order of the Universe. Without me, God would not be complete. Without me, the Universe would lose its equilibrium.
All that I AM called to do, I do with happiness and enthusiasm, for nothing is too insignificant.
I AM now embraced in my Father-Mother God’s Love, and never again will there be a sense of futility in my life.
I AM overflowing with Gratitude for the opportunity to be on Earth at this time. I AM so thankful to be right where I AM, right now, serving all who come my way with love, joy, understanding and forgiveness.
Recognizing my true worth, I now go forth to fulfill my Divine Mission. With my Inner Vision I see the Loving and all-encompassing Light of my I AM Presence freely flowing through me. With my physical sight, I see lavish abundance everywhere.
I AM Peaceful, Powerful and filled with Divine Love, for I remember who I AM.
I AM a Beloved Child of God, and ALL that my Father-Mother God have is mine.
And so it is.
Patricia Diane Cota-Robles
Website: http://eraofpeace.org
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“BREATHWORK ALLOWS US TO INTERRUPT THE PATTERNS THAT LEAD TO SUFFERING.”
I’ve been living with the “Expansive Breath” these days. During the inhale I feel the actual sensations of expansion—front to back, top to bottom, side to side. During the exhale, I imagine continuing to expand—beyond the body. I do this with the sense that something flows in when I breathe out, and something flows out when I breathe in. So you’ll excuse me if I seem a bit fuzzy and borderless!
I read that we have about fifty trillion cells in our body. About one trillion of those cells make up our nervous system. Isn’t it amazing that all these cells get along perfectly well? They all cooperate together to create perfect health. Imagine: trillions of cells, each with their own mind, yet sharing a common goal: What an amazing and precious gift life is! Everyday we should thank and praise our mind and body. Be grateful out loud!
Sometimes the gap between our thinking mind and our loving heart is huge. But we can bridge that gap with spiritual breathing. We can always remind ourselves that we are part of an eternal ecstatic flow of life. Inner peace is always already here; and if not, then it is only a breath away.
There is a part of us that has never been touched by anything that has happened in this world. That part of us or that place in us is still pure, powerful, innocent, unaffected and undisturbed. It is unalterable, impervious. It is invulnerable. It cannot suffer. It can only be what it is.
Whenever pain comes, we need to slow down, to become quiet, soft, and yielding. When pain comes (emotional, physical, psychological, spiritual), we need to surrender to it. We need to generate the energy of unconditional love and acceptance and appreciation in the midst of it.
We can choose whether to hook into a thought or a feeling, and prolong its presence in the body, or to let it flow through quickly and completely. We can choose which thought to hold and which emotion to feed. We can determine which program or reaction we allow to speak through us, or as us.
In any moment, we can stop and ask ourselves: “How does it feel to think this thought?” “How does it feel to imagine this scenario?” “Does this thought bring me peace?” If the answer is no, then we need it drop it like a hot potato! There are always many ways out of painful thinking. Regardless of what the last thought or feeling was, the next one can be anything. We can focus on anything at anytime. Peace is always available, if we choose to go in that direction. We are always already free.
Meditative awareness and conscious breathing reveal the workings of our mind-body system. Thoughts produce emotional and physiological reactions. Emotions produce psychological and physiological reactions. Feelings and sensations produce emotional and psychological reactions.
Breathwork allows us to interrupt the patterns that lead to suffering. Breathwork breaks the cycle of stressful reactions. Whenever we consciously expand and relax, we interrupt the pattern, we take the charge off the thought, feeling or sensation. Breathing makes it easier to shift, to change, or to choose peace.
Thoughts and emotions such as anger or resentment can be triggered automatically. They have their own life; but on their own, they never last for very long. They run their course and then they disappear—unless we resist them or hold on to them—unless we feed them. We always have the choice to return to the peace of the present moment; we can simply choose to let the thoughts and feelings dissolve or pass.
We can strengthen this ability to shift out of suffering, and to “come home” again by deliberately thinking of something enjoyable, by consciously remembering something wonderful. If we do this again and again, the mind develops a habit. The same mind that once brought us suffering learns to bring us joy.
Habits are hard to break. And once the mind has the habit of seeking comfort and pleasure, we are stuck with these wonderful experiences! We all have a mental garden, and it is up to us to tend it, to weed it, to guard it from pests and poachers! To develop and maintain a constant state of inner peace, we have to be willing to choose peace again and again… a hundred times a day if necessary.
This breathing, this constant expanding and letting go…it brings such a beautiful sense that our body is more fluid than solid, more energetic than physical… Breathing brings such a sense of openness to and connectedness with all things. It dissolves the ego—the illusion of a separate self.
Conscious breathing brings such a wonderful sense of expanding peace and grace, a wonderful sense of pure aliveness. What freedom and peace there is in realizing that I am a figment of my own imagination! What a joy it is to know that I am OK no matter what I think and no matter how I feel!
Since that day in the sixth grade when I fell out of synch with an unconscious world, I have felt again and again this pull toward what can only be called my “Real True Self.” I am so grateful that the practice of spiritual breathing constantly re-orients and re-directs me toward this “Higher Self.”
There is definitely a sense of a separate and unique “I.” But more and more, this “I” seems to be nothing but a temporary wave that forms on the surface of an ocean. It comes and it goes. It thinks what it thinks, feels what it feels, says what it says, or does what it does, and then it disappears back into the ocean.
This wave forming phenomenon happens again and again, from moment to moment, and because of this constant process, there seems to be someone or something that exists or persists through time: an “I.” But beyond or above or behind, this sense of a separate self, is a universal experience, something like pure unmoving awareness, with no past, no future, no name… alone, at one.
My perception of myself and the world seems like an illusion. I have no idea how to be a normal person anymore. I don’t even know what that is. Thank God that doesn’t seem to matter! Something in me just naturally does what it does it. It’s like a game, it’s like pretending, like playing a part in a play. I am alive. I am the power of life. I am the life force energy of the universe. I am life. I am a being of light, breathing love into this body and into the world. I am playing at life!
See you on the path….
Love to all,
Dan
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We hear frequently from people who want to know why nose breathing is so important. So we are including this write-up from our website:
"When we breathe through our nose, the hairs that line our nostrils filter out particles of dust and dirt that can be injurious to our lungs. If too many particles accumulate on the membranes of the nose, we automatically secret mucus to trap them or sneeze to expel them.
The mucous membranes of our septum, which divides the nose into two cavities, further prepare the air for our lungs by warming and humidifying it.
Another very important reason for breathing through the nose has to do with maintaining the correct balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in our blood. When we breathe through our mouth we usually inhale and exhale air quickly in large volumes. This often leads to a kind of hyperventilation (breathing excessively fast for the actual conditions
in which we find ourselves). It is important to recognize that it is the amount of carbon dioxide in our blood that generally regulates our breathing. Research has shown that if we release carbon dioxide too quickly, the arteries and vessels carrying blood to our cells constrict and the oxygen in our blood is unable to reach the cells in sufficient quantity. This includes the carotid arteries which carry blood (and oxygen) to the brain. The lack of sufficient oxygen going to the cells of the brain can turn on our sympathetic nervous system, our "fight or flight" response, and make us tense, anxious, irritable,
and depressed. There are some researchers who believe that mouth breathing and the associated hyperventilation that it brings about can result in asthma, high blood pressure, heart disease, and many other medical problems.
And finally, let's hear what famed osteopath Robert C. Fulford, D.O. has to say in his wonderful book Dr. Fulford's Touch of Life about nose breathing: 'Remember: always try to breathe through your nostrils, and not through your mouth, because air must contact the olfactory nerves to stimulate your brain and put it into its natural rhythm. If you don't breathe through your nose, in a sense you're only half alive.'"
http://www.authentic-breathing.com
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The way a person breathes can play a large role in high blood pressure. Overbreathing, excessive mouth breathing, chronic hyperventilation, unnecessarily fast breathing, unbalanced breathing, and so on can all raise your blood pressure. They can also make you feel tense and anxious.
We have updated and expanded our FAQ about breathing and high blood pressure at:
http://www.authentic-breathing.com/breathing_faqs.htm#hbp
Here you can also learn about some of the major supplements that research has shown can help with high blood pressure. And you will also learn about a very safe FDA-cleared medical device for slowing down your breathing that has been proven to help reduce blood pressure.
Authentic Breathing News is published by AUTHENTIC BREATHING RESOURCES LLC
http://www.authentic-breathing.com
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Take a look at "RESPeRATE," the clinically proven device designed to reduce stress
and lower your blood pressure through slower breathing and without drugs or side
effects.
Visit:
http://www.authentic-breathing.com/resperate.htm
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If you are into healthful eating, it can be tough when friends or family want to go out to the local restaurant to eat. You know most of the food there is laced with monosodium glutamate (MSG), and this knowledge can really spoil your fun. Now a new study has found that pre-treating yourself with a supplement of red clover before you go out can nullify the potential for brain damage from MSG.
The study
The June 5, 2008 edition of Phytomedicine reports a study based on an idea generated by the knowledge that estrogen has been shown to affect neuronal growth, differentiation and survival. Genistein, diadzein and other isoflavones have been shown to mimic the pharmacological actions of the steroid estrogen, due to their similarity of structure. So, researchers hypothesized that the natural mixture of phytoestrogenic isoflavones found in red clover could protect the brain from glutamate toxicity. They used a human cortical cell line to test the efficacy of the red clover. Neuronal viability was determined and neuronal membrane damage was quantitatively measured.
The results obtained indicated that exposure of the cell cultures to glutamate resulted in concentration-dependent decreases in neuron viability. Concentrations of glutamate ranging from 0.01 to 5 mm were toxic to the cultures. However, when the cells were pretreated with 0.5, 1 and 2 mug/ml of the isoflavone enriched fraction from red clover, there was a significantly increased cell survival and significantly decreased release of cellular lactate dehydrogenase, an indicator of cell damage. This indicates that the neurons treated with red clover isoflavones were protected from the cell death induced by glutamate exposure. In addition, the pretreatment with the isoflavone enriched fraction prevented the morphological disruption caused by glutamate as shown in microscopic inspection.
About MSG
MSG is a food additive found in almost all commercially prepared food. It supercharges the taste of food, but not in the way you would think. MSG fools your brain into thinking the food you're eating tastes really great. MSG is an excitotoxin to the brain. When we consume food containing MSG, it excites the brain into the mass production of dopamine, creating a drug rush that gives us a brief sensation of well being. And because MSG is highly addictive, we keep coming back for more and end up overeating. In the process, we end up destroying our brain cells.
Food processors love MSG because it makes cheap ingredients taste great. And because it comes from an amino acid, it can be added to foods labeled 'natural' or 'organic'. It's very hard to find any canned or packaged soup, dried soup mixes, prepared meals, fast food, junk food, or Chinese food that does not contain MSG. It's in prepared gravy, salad dressing, seasoning blends and mixes, canned beans, bullion cubes, broths, chili and stews. Stores that cater to the health conscious carry many of these MSG containing items.
Because the food buying public does not want to consume MSG, food processors have gone to extremes to be sure that you don't know it is in their products, and this has been allowed by the FDA. You will seldom see MSG listed on the label, because it is disguised. Here are the names of some of the disguises:
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, autolyzed vegetable protein, textured vegetable protein, hydrolyzed yeast extract, autolyzed yeast extract, plant protein extract, sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, yeast extract, textured whey protein, natural flavor.
Most processed food for children also contains high levels of MSG, such as canned or packaged spaghetti, alphabet soup and chicken noodle soup, microwavable cups, packaged dinners and much more. A meal of this food can raise the blood level of excitotoxins to a value proven in primates to destroy brain cells. A child's brain is four times more sensitive to damage by excitotoxins than is the brain of an adult.
About Red Clover
Red clover is a wild perennial herb that grows in meadows throughout Europe and Asia, and is now naturalized in North America. It's a close relative of the clover you find in your front yard. The red flowers offer the therapeutic potential and are dried for use. They are sweet to eat.
Red clover is a valuable source of nutrients including calcium, chromium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine, and vitamin C. Its isoflavones are the source of the phytoestrogens in the above noted study, water soluble chemicals that act like estrogens in the body because of their ability to fit into estrogen receptors.
Isoflavones are a class of organic compounds and biomolecules with antioxidant properties. They are produced from a branch of the general phenylpropanoid pathway which produces all flavonoid compounds in higher order plants.
According to Phyllis and James Balch in Prescription for Nutritional Healing, the isoflavonoids in red clover fight infection, suppress appetite, and purify the blood. They have expectorant, antispasmodic, and relaxing effects, and are good for bacterial infection and inflamed lungs. They are also beneficial for inflammatory bowel disorders, kidney problems, liver disease, skin disorders, and a weakened immune system.
Red clover has been a traditional herbal treatment for cancer due to its ability to stimulate the immune system. Recent research has found evidence that it prevents the growth of cancer cells and is highly effective in treatment for prostate and liver health. Red clover is frequently prescribed by natural healers as a treatment and preventative for breast cancer because of its ability to fit into estrogen receptors in the breast.
Some studies have also suggested that the red clover isoflavones may slow bone loss and even boost bone mineral density in pre and perimenopausal women. It may protect against heart disease in several ways, and has been associated with an increase in HDL cholesterol in pre and postmenopausal women. One study found that menopausal women who took red clover supplements had more flexible and stronger arteries. Red clover may also have blood thinning properties which help prevent blood clots. It also appears to improve blood flow.
Supplementing with red clover
No serious side effects from red clover have been reported in humans. Infertility has been noted in grazing animals that consume large quantities.
Red clover is available as teas, tinctures, tablets, capsules, liquid extracts, and extracts standardized to specific isoflavone content. It may also be prepared as an ointment for psoriasis, eczema, and rashes. Whole herb supplements are generally considered to be the most conservative way to supplement. Organic red clover supplements are available from the large online supplement stores and are highly affordable.
About the author
Barbara is a school psychologist, a published author in the area of personal finance, a breast cancer survivor using "alternative" treatments, a born existentialist, and a student of nature and all things natural.
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Obviously, it would most effective to Not go to those restaurants that serve MSG and to avoid it altogether from all your foods!
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Here is an abbreviated true story of my own:
I was raised on a remote 6,000 acre farm on which there were a number of Hereford bulls (fluctuating between 13 to 20). These were massive wild animals with huge horns and very dangerous. You didn’t mess with these fellows. One day we discovered one of them had been thrown into a drain while fighting another and it had been there for several days. It had a large hole in its side which had penetrated about 30cm’s into its body where it had been gored by the other bull and maggots had now filled this hole.
It was a very sick bull in a lot of pain and very angry. We had to move fast to save its life. We had no tractors or motor vehicles of any kind and we had to use our horses to pull this huge animal out of the drain in which it had become truly wedged. For safety reasons our technique was to strangle the animal as we pulled it out by the neck and this would give us time to get the ropes off it and get out of there before it recovered sufficiently to kill us.
There were no Veterinarians up there. I will not go into the ghastly things we had to do to save that bulls life and it took about six weeks of having it locked in a race and administered to several times every day. It was in agony and I was absolutely convinced that this was one bull that would hate us and we would have to keep well away from it if it ever recovered.
Against all odds it survived a horrific experience and when we released it my father and I were hiding behind a reinforced fence for protection. To our amazement it didn’t take off in joyous relief. It walked slowly out of the race and turned back looking all over the place with a puzzled expression. We realized it could be looking for us and so we decided to take the risk and show ourselves. It immediately rushed to the fence with tail wagging and it was a totally domesticated friendly animal that showed unbelievable gratitude that just “blew me away”. It was the only tame bull on the farm from then on and we could do anything with it.
Thought you might enjoy that one too!!
Cheers,
Dennis
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In Truth, Simplicity, Love and Service,
Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti, Om Peace.
Young Toni Delgado and Young Kelley Elkins
A NEXT STEP...Light Center for Transformation and Healing
P.O.Box 429
Dona Ana, New Mexico 88032
toni@anextstep.org
www.anextstep.org
575-382-8771
Buy Toni's new book: A CALL TO MOTHER’S GRACE AND GIFTS
Go to OUR STORE: bottom of page at www.anextstep.org to order it.
Also available at iuniverse.com, amazon, barnesandnoble, borders.
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